Dushyant Kumar Gautam was sworn in as the 19th Governor of Sikkim on Monday, 19 October 2026, at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Gangtok. His appointment comes amid protests over allegations linked to the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand. Sikkim High Court Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque administered the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, members of the Council of Ministers, the Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, High Court judges, Lok Sabha MP, MLAs and other dignitaries. Following the ceremony, the Chief Minister introduced the newly sworn-in Governor to the state’s elected representatives and other dignitaries. Gautam was subsequently accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Sikkim Armed Police. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gautam as Sikkim Governor on 12 October 2026. He succeeds Om Prakash Mathur. Last week, youths and citizens with no political affiliation staged a peaceful sit-in protest at the District Administrative Centre in Gangtok against Gautam’s appointment. The protesters demanded that the Centre defer his appointment until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its ongoing investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case. Ankita Bhandari, 19, was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022. The allegations surrounding the identity and role of the alleged VIP remain under investigation. Gautam has denied the allegations, according to NDTV.